Italian Days Food Experiences

My wife booked the tour and I’m really glad she dragged me along. I didn’t think I would be very interested in parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and prosciutto. Alessandro lived up to the great ratings&reviews and blew me away. Loved learning about the intricacies of the production processes. The tasting and pairing made it so much better. The best part comes last — a giant 10+course 2+hour meal at the restaurant Bonfiglioli. This tour was definitely the highlight of our Italy trip.
And definitely buy parmesan and balsamic products to take home with you!

STOP 1
Emilia-​Romagna Countryside, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP Factory
We had the opportunity to view each step of the process, including the heating of the fresh milk and the separation of the curds and whey, the crafting of the curds by the casaro — the master cheese maker, the formation of a single cheese. From seeing first-​hand the step-​by-​step process that goes into making Parmagiano Reggiano, we then got the opportunity to explore the impressive «cheese library», which houses more that 6 million euros worth of Parmigiano Reggiano. At the end of our visit we were treated to a full tasting of Parmigiano Reggiano aged 13 and 25 months, as well as a breakfast feast of pastries, sandwiches, wine, water, cheese… yes, wine at 8:30 AM! We also had the opportunity to purchase cheese at cost! I purchased two vacuum sealed beasts (each piece was 1 kg or 2.2 pounds) for 15 euros each (one was aged 13 years and the other 25 months)! I did the math when I got home and checked the prices of the cheese I purchased at the factory back in Italy, and it would have cost me $ 60+ CAD!
STOP 2
The tour continued to one of the region’s historic acetaia, a family-​owned farmhouse where the famous Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena D.O.P. is made. Alessandro gave us a tour of the farmhouse and explained to us every step that goes into making «Black Gold» (aged for a minimum of 12 years) and learned about the methods and wood barrels used to produce traditional balsamic vinegar D.O.P. The tastings allowed us the opportunity to compare different ages and varieties, including Balsamic Dressing aged 6 years and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar D.O.P. aged both 15 and 45 years. To try the Balsamic Jelly, Alessandro brought back fresh ricotta cheese from the Parmigiano Reggiano factory and combined it with the jelly. WOW, I was blown away by the freshness of the cheese and the kick from the Balsamic Jelly. To taste the Balsamic Dressing, they put the dressing on gelato. Who knew that balsamic vinegar would go so well with ice cream? Not to self…
It was great to see and taste for yourself how different this balsamic vinegar is from the factory «balsamic» you find in the markets back home; this is a single family producing small amounts of the world’s finest vinegar for generations, using the same ancient technique of aging grape must from Lambrusco or Trebbiano grapes in oak barrels (batterie) that Italian families in this region have been using for centuries. And once again, we had the opportunity to purchase these products at cost — which I did!
STOP 3
Prosciuttificio Montevecchio Factory
From aceto balsamico off we went to one of the best prosciutto producers in the region, where we met a father and son whose family for over three generations has been committed to the production of Prosciutto di Modena DOP, a Prosciutto equal to the more famous Prosciutto de Parma (but without the same name recognition, since it’s produced within the city limits of Modena and not Parma — but made with the same food regulations). Here we learned the careful craft that goes into creating one of the most delicious pork products I have ever tasted — and possibly in the world! After learning how the meat is cut, seasoned, stored, and packaged, we were treated to a full tasting of fresh slices of prosciutto di Modena D.O.P, and wine — amazing wine that is made by the owner of the factory and does not sell to the general public. Boo.
STOP 4
Lunch @ Ristorante Mattarozzi
I know, how the hell could we still be hungry?! So far we had eaten cheese, pastries, cold cuts, bread, and these were not small portions! And now we were having lunch! But we all made room to dine at this countryside original Trattoria. And boy, was the food incredible! We had:
5 pasta dishes
2 types of bread — one was deep-​fried and served steaming hot — died and went to heaven
Super crispy fries
4+ types of vegetables
3+ types of meat (there were substitutions for vegetarians)
3 desserts
Unlimited wine (non alcoholic drinks were also available)
WOW! The education, the food, the staff, the other members of my tour, and Alessandro made this a once in a life time experience for me. Thank you Italian Days Team!
For photos check my full blog post here:

Best day in Italy! Alessandro is a great host and genius of the food culture. If you’re a true foodie, don’t miss spending the day with him. Intimate and special experience watching how true authentic DOP Parmigiano-​Reggiano, Balsamic and Prosciutto are made. End the day with a traditional meal they will leave you full for the rest of the day.

Alessandro was AMAZING and by far the best person for this job. He is über informative (he constantly asks for questions and all I could think of was «wow, you answered every question I was thinking of when I walked in»). His energy is consistently high, which was needed with the early morning start. His passion for the cuisine and ingredients shines through and is infectious. I simply cannot say enough about him and having been on other food tours I am willing to say your guide is the critical ingredient to your enjoyment so go with him.
Every stop was informative and purposeful. You need the early start to get to be part of parmesan making and it is a couple hours until the breakfast they have set up for you so I recommend a snack before getting picked up at your hotel (yes — they provided door-​to-​door service). I won’t share much about the contents of the stops since I simply cannot do them justice. In all you will see a parmesan production, a balsamic vinegar production (not likely the product you think of), prosciutto production, and a vineyard.
Beforehand: the setup was easy and precise. Great communication and easy logistics.
Some tips for preparation:
* bring a light jacket or sweater because you’ll be in some climate controlled areas
* plan for lunch to be extremely filling so you shouldn’t plan a big meal afterwards
* as mentioned above, enjoy a snack before being picked up
* bring cash in case you want to buy anything at the factories because not all of them take credit cards and they have really pleasant prices.
Buon appetito!

We went to Bologna specifically to go on this tour. I am so glad we did. It’s definitely not cheap, but after we went on the tour, it was so worth every penny. AND… I’d do the tour again in a heartbeat.
Alessandro was incredible. He is so passionate about the food and the purveyors you visit are so awesome. When we went to see the cheese being made I literally felt like I was on 3−2−1 Contact. (old school reference…).
We had a small group and the whole thing was educational, family friendly and over the top delicious.
It was a while ago that we took this trip but it still stuck out as my fondest memory of the entire week.
Highly recommend!

Tours just don’t get any better than Alessandro’s Italian Days food experience. They just don’t. I’ve been on a lot of food tours throughout Europe and this tour has now taken the #1 slot of best food tours I have gone on. Alessandro has a knack for connecting with people and entertaining that you just can’t teach people — he’s a natural (and oh so entertaining!).
Also, Barbara executes communication and organization of collection and drop-​off times with German precision. Likely because she’s German (and funny and great)!
As I sit on the sofa with my new food baby, I am reflecting on the tour my husband and I went on today. I’m not going to sugar coat this — the tour starts early. We were collected at 7am from our B&B and four other guests were already in the [very nice] Mercedes Van — I have no idea what time they were collected. The early morning is well worth what you will experience.
Our first stop was to collect Alessandro who we found standing roadside. He came running down the road, waving his arms and screaming. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and Alessandro jumped in the passenger seat and started explaining the agenda for the day.
Our second stop was to a Parmigiano Reggiano factory where we learned all about the cheese making process and then were fed more cheese than anyone needs to eat in a year.
Our third stop was to a balsamico farm/​shop/​house/​estate where we learned all about the differences in the crappy balsamic vinegar we buy in the supermarket and traditional balsamico. Then we were fed more balsamic than anyone needs to eat in two years.
Our food bellies were readily apparent at this point and it was only noon.
Our fourth stop was to a prosciutto factory where we saw 22,000 pig legs (that is not a typo) and were fed more prosciutto than anyone needs to eat in three years.
Our fifth, and final stop, was to an organic winery for a «light lunch.» HA HA HA. Light lunch. Um, there was nothing light about this lunch. It is currently 8:30pm and we ate lunch at 2pm and I still am unable to move or think about eating or drinking. We were fed more food than anyone needs to eat in four years.
The food was simply amazing and Alessandro’s hosting skills were out of this world. He is one of the most generous and funny people I have ever met, not to mention the best tour guide we have ever had. If I could give six stars, I would but I can’t which makes me sad and not any less full.
If you are thinking about this tour — do not hesitate. You will not regret it and you will consume more calories in a few hours than you did all last week and you will love every single second of it. Note: There are not a lot of details on their website and that is purposeful. Alessandro believes that if you take five minutes to write him an email and inquire about the tour, that you are genuinely interested and his girlfriend, Barbara, will respond immediately with more details. From there, they ask that you read the email in full and if you are still interested, confirm back via email. Payment is made in cash the day of the tour or via PayPal one week before the tour.
Another thing to note is that this tour is not the faint hearted or for anyone who doesn’t enjoy stuffing their faces with delicious food. It’s an early start and there is a lot of information to be had but it is so well worth the money.
Kudos Alessandro (and Barbara) for building a great business — best wishes.

My wife and I went to Bologna strictly to go on this food tour and it was completely worth it. If you love food, there is no way you will not LOVE this tour.
Alessandro has that natural charisma that you just can’t teach people. His passion for food is present in every word he speaks. He and his wife were also the most organized people we met in Italy. If you want to read more about our tour and see pics, you can see the article I wrote about it on my website (located on my profile page).

If you are looking for a terrifically atmospheric and entertaining experience in this part of Italy, I would not hesitate recommending the services of Alessandro Martini, probably one of the most ebullient, informative and generous tour guides I’ve ever had on a vacation. For 95 Euros per person, he picks you up on schedule at your hotel in a private car and takes you to three key destinations in and around nearby Modena.
The first stop is the Castelnuovo Rangone Parmigiano-​Reggiano cheese factory where he shows you the laborious but fascinating steps of making the world-​famous cheese as the workers actually make it. The shelves of cheese wheels is quite an impressive sight, and don’t miss an opportunity to tap the cheese. The second stop is the Villa San Donnino where director Bernardo Bertolucci filmed his epic film, «1900», starring Robert De Niro and Gerard Depardieu. Even more importantly, it is here you can see barrels of aged balsamic vinegar and sample some drizzled over a cup of vanilla ice cream.
The last stop is the Corte d’Aibo farm and winery where you can see the grapes being crushed, sample some of their freshly produced organic wines, and have even more of a selection of their wines over a hearty al fresco lunch of antipasto and salad. The tour lasts about seven hours in total, and I strongly recommend making a reservation in advance as Alessandro’s services become even more renowned. Quite unlike any other guide I’ve had (…and take a look at the photo gallery on his website if you don’t believe me), he provides a truly memorable day of culinary delights.